Amber McBride

Last updated
Amber McBride
OccupationNovelist, poet, professor
LanguageEnglish
Education
GenrePoetry, young adult
Years active2022–present
Notable works Me (Moth)
Notable awards Coretta Scott King-John Steptoe Award for New Talent (2022)

Amber McBride is an African-American author, poet, and professor. She is best known for her debut novel-in-verse, Me (Moth) , which was nominated for the National Book Award for Young People's Literature and won the John Steptoe New Talent Award.

Contents

Personal life

The first book McBride remembers reading is Mama, Would You Love Me by Barbara M. Jose. McBride says she comes from a family of storytellers, which she credits her love for writing to, as she says that oral storytelling is a big part of her experience of African American culture. She wrote her first book in fifth grade. [1]

McBride was a pre-med student until her junior year of university but transitioned to creative writing after a car accident and subsequent stay in the hospital caused her to realize she didn't enjoy hospitals enough to become a doctor. [2] McBride has a Bachelor of Arts in English from James Madison University and a Master of Fine Arts in poetry from Emerson College. [3] As of 2023, she is an assistant professor of Poetry and English at the University of Virginia. [1] [4] [5]

She credits working with students as one of her inspirations for wanting to write novels for young adults. [6]

In her free time, she practices Hoodoo, and currently lives in Charlottesville, Virginia. [1] [7]

Career

Me (Moth) (2022)

McBride's debut novel-in-verse, Me (Moth) , was published in 2022 by Feiwel and Friends. [8] It is about a Juilliard-bound dancer who gets into a car accident that changes the trajectory of her life, having her look to Hoodoo guided by her Rootworker grandfather to ease her pain and taking a trip across the United States and to the Navajo nation. [9] The idea of writing a novel incorporating Hoodoo came to her after her grandfather passed away in 2019. [3] McBride says Hoodoo and magic are often involved in her work, since she considers them to be a significant part of her lived experience. [6] The Native American elements were inspired by her Navajo aunt and a roadtrip to the reservation, which introduced her to customs she wasn't familiar with previously. [3]

McBride credits novels in verse like Brown Girl Dreaming , The Poet X, and A Long Way Down with inspiring her to write her own verse novel. [3] Me (Moth) was well-received by critics, and named a Summer/Fall 2021 Indies Introduce young adult selection [10] and a July/August 2021 Kids’ Next List pick. [11] It was a finalist for the National Book Award for Young People's Literature in 2021, [12] and won the John Steptoe New Talent Award in 2022. [8]

We are all So Good at Smiling

McBride's second young adult novel in verse, We are all so Good at Smiling, about clinical depression and healing from trauma, was published in January 2022. [1] The novel was inspired by the author's experience with depression during the COVID-19 pandemic, prompted by her author friend Ally Malinenko's own novel about her lived experience with cancer, which she called inspired by her impression that "no one ever writes about the kids who live. The sentiment resonated with McBride. [1]

McBride says one of the goals of her novel was to make it clear that "not even Baba Yaga or Anansi the spider is [sic] immune to depression", hoping that her novel facilitates open dialogue about mental health struggles. [6]

Gone Wolf

McBride's middle grade debut, Gone Wolf, is a dual-timeline story centering two Black girls, one living in the year 2111 and escaping a dystopian U.S, and one living in Charlottesville during the COVID-19 pandemic, dealing with generational trauma through figments of her imagination. [2] It was published by Feiwel and Friends. [13] It was a finalist for the Heavy Medal Mock Newbery by School Library Journal in January 2024. [14]

Related Research Articles

Karen S. Hesse is an American author of children's literature and literature for young adults, often with historical settings. She received the Newbery Medal for Out of the Dust (1997).

Elaine Lobl Konigsburg was an American writer and illustrator of children's books and young adult fiction. She is one of six writers to win two Newbery Medals, the venerable American Library Association award for the year's "most distinguished contribution to American children's literature."

Joan Baehler Bauer is an American writer of young adult literature currently residing with her husband Evan Bauer in Brooklyn. Bauer was born in River Forest, Illinois. They are the parents of one daughter, Jean. Before becoming a famous author Joan spent years working for McGraw-Hill and the Chicago Tribune. She also did some work in advertising, marketing, and screenwriting.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pam Muñoz Ryan</span> American writer (born 1951)

Pam Muñoz Ryan is an American writer for children and young adults, particularly in the multicultural genre.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Adam Gidwitz</span> American childrens author

Adam Gidwitz is an American author of children's books, best known for A Tale Dark and Grimm (2010), In a Glass Grimmly (2012), and The Grimm Conclusion (2013). He received a 2017 Newbery Honor for The Inquisitor’s Tale: Or, The Three Magical Children and Their Holy Dog (2016). In 2021, his book A Tale Dark and Grimm was adapted into an animated miniseries on Netflix.

Julie Halpern is an American author of popular young adult novels. She is married to the children’s book author and illustrator Matthew Cordell, with whom she created the picture book Toby and the Snowflakes.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Meg Medina</span> American childrens writer (born 1963)

Meg Medina is an American children’s book author of Cuban descent whose books celebrate Latino culture and the lives of young people. She served as the 2023 – 2024 National Ambassador of Young People’s Literature. Medina is the recipient of the 2019 John Newbery Medal for her middle grade novel, Merci Suárez Changes Gears and the Pura Belpré Award for Yaqui Delgado Wants to Kick Your Ass (2014) and the Pura Belpré Award Honor Book in 2016 for Mango, Abuela and Me).

Martha Brockenbrough is an American author of fiction and nonfiction for children and adults. Her first book, It Could Happen To You: Diary Of A Pregnancy and Beyond, was published by Andrews McMeel Publishing in 2002. She is the founder of The Society for the Promotion of Good Grammar (SPOGG) and of National Grammar Day.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Nicola Yoon</span> Jamaican-American author (born 1972)

Nicola Yoon is a Jamaican-American author. She is best known for writing the 2015 young adult novel Everything, Everything, a New York Times best seller and the basis of a 2017 film of the same name. In 2016, she released The Sun Is Also a Star, a novel that was adapted to a 2019 film of the same name.

Kelly Barnhill is an American author of children's literature, fantasy, and science fiction. Her novel The Girl Who Drank the Moon was awarded the 2017 Newbery Medal. Kirkus Reviews named When Women Were Dragons one of the best science fiction and fantasy books of 2022.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Erin Entrada Kelly</span> American writer

Erin Entrada Kelly is an American writer of children's literature. She was awarded the 2018 John Newbery Medal by the Association for Library Service to Children for her third novel, Hello, Universe. She won the award a second time in 2025 for her novel The First State of Being.

Anna-Marie McLemore is a Mexican-American author of young adult fiction magical realism, best known for their Stonewall Honor-winning novel When the Moon Was Ours, Wild Beauty, and The Weight of Feathers.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Darcie Little Badger</span> American speculative fiction writer (born 1987)

Darcie Little Badger is an American novelist, short story writer, and Earth scientist. Her writings are specialized in speculative fiction, especially horror, science fiction, and fantasy. She is a member of the Lipan Apache Tribe of Texas. She develops her stories with Apache characters and themes. She has also added her voice to Indigenous Futurism, a movement among Native artists and authors to write science fiction from their historical and cultural perspectives. Her works also feature characters who reconfirm the presence and importance of LGBTQ community members.

Faridah Àbíké-Íyímídé is a British novelist, short-story writer and columnist. Her debut novel, the young adult thriller Ace of Spades (2021), received the NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Literary Work – Youth/Teens in 2022, and reached the top ten on The New York Times Best Seller list.

Alicia Diane Williams is an American author and teacher. Her debut novel, Genesis Begins Again, published in 2019, received wide praise and won a Newbery Honor, the Coretta Scott King-John Steptoe Award for New Talent, and was a finalist for the William C. Morris Award and Kirkus Prize for Young Readers Literature.

<i>Legendborn</i> 2020 fantasy novel by Tracy Deonn

Legendborn is a 2020 debut young adult fantasy novel by Tracy Deonn. Called "a modern day twist on Arthurian legend", it follows a black teenage girl who discovers a secret and historically white magic society. The book is the first in the Legendborn series. It was released on September 15, 2020, and it was published under Simon & Schuster/McElderry. Legendborn received the Coretta Scott King Award/John Steptoe Award for New Talent as well as a nomination for the Los Angeles Times Book Prize.

Tracy Deonn is an American author. Her debut novel Legendborn (2020) was a New York Times bestseller and received a Coretta Scott King–John Steptoe Award for New Talent and the 2021 Ignyte Award for Best Young Adult Novel. The sequel novel Bloodmarked was published in 2022 and also became a #1 New York Times bestseller.

<i>Me (Moth)</i> 2021 young-adult verse novel by Amber McBride

Me (Moth) is a young adult fantasy novel in verse by Amber McBride, published August 17, 2021 by Feiwel and Friends. The book won the John Steptoe New Talent Award and was a finalist for the National Book Award for Young People's Literature.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jas Hammonds</span> American writer

Jas Hammonds is an American writer of young adult fiction, best known for her Coretta Scott King Award-winning debut We Deserve Monuments.

Ava Reid is an American author of young adult fiction and adult fiction, best known for her New York Times bestselling young adult debut A Study in Drowning.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 "Q&A: Amber McBride, Author of 'We Are All So Good at Smiling'". The Nerd Daily. 2023-01-07. Retrieved 2024-01-05.
  2. 1 2 Jones, Iyana (2023-09-26). "Q & A with Amber McBride". Publishers Weekly . Retrieved 2024-01-05.
  3. 1 2 3 4 "An Indies Introduce Q&A with Amber McBride, Author of "Me (Moth)"". American Booksellers Association . 2021-08-03. Retrieved 2024-01-05.
  4. ↑ Peeti, Yashvi (2023-10-27). "YA Authors Who Have Made Their Mark With Poetry, Too". BOOK RIOT. Retrieved 2024-01-05.
  5. ↑ "Amber McBride | Department of English". University of Virginia . Retrieved 2024-01-05.
  6. 1 2 3 "Fairy tales and universal truths". C-VILLE Weekly. Retrieved 2024-01-05.[ permanent dead link ]
  7. ↑ "Amber McBride". National Book Foundation. Retrieved 2024-01-05.
  8. 1 2 admin (2009-01-26). "John Steptoe New Talent Award". Round Tables. Retrieved 2024-01-05.
  9. ↑ Paxson, Caitlin (August 21, 2021). "REVIEW BOOK REVIEWS This Road Trip Is A Winding, Poetic Journey Through Ancestry, Trauma And Art". NPR . Retrieved January 5, 2024.
  10. ↑ "Indies Introduce Winter / Spring 2024". the American Booksellers Association. Retrieved 2024-01-05.
  11. ↑ "The July/August Kids' Indie Next List Preview". the American Booksellers Association. 2021-06-07. Retrieved 2024-01-05.
  12. ↑ "Me (Moth)". National Book Foundation. Retrieved 2024-01-05.
  13. ↑ Moore, David Barclay (2023-10-18). "Jacqueline Woodson and Amber McBride Look Backward to Look Forward". The New York Times. ISSN   0362-4331 . Retrieved 2024-01-05.
  14. ↑ Mroczek-Bayci, Emily (2024-01-02). "Heavy Medal Mock Newbery Finalist: GONE WOLF by Amber McBride". Heavy Medal: A Mock Newbery Blog. Retrieved 2024-01-05.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.